Problem

Northeastern state wildlife agencies recognized that residents of the region were encountering similar wildlife conflicts and that they should work together to offer solutions. Through Northeast Wildlife Administrator's Association (NEWAA) leadership, the agencies sought a way to provide sound, consistent and legal advice while minimizing the time needed for individual agencies to create and manage their own content.

Solution

In collaboration with NEWAA agency members, DJ Case adopted a Lean Startup methodology to conceptualize, develop, and test online tools. Lean Startup is a scientific-method approach to developing new products and services designed to keep costs low, test hypotheses, reduce uncertainty, and validate learning.

The team iteratively developed and expanded WildlifeHelp.org to provide . . .

  • Location-based information —  WildlifeHelp.org recognizes a visitor’s location and/or allows the visitor to set their location.
  • Tailored content — WildlifeHelp.org serves up only species, solutions, and regulation details that are appropriate to a visitor’s state.
  • Adaptive presentation — content is easy to access on mobile, tablet, laptop and desktop devices. Currently, nearly 70% of visitors access it via mobile devices.
  • DIY and professional solutions — visitors can find solutions to implement themselves or they can locate professional nuisance wildlife control operators by proximity.
  • Wildlife professional control — participating agencies control what information displays for their state, including appropriate wildlife conflict solutions, regulations, and wildlife control professionals.
  • Content value monitoring — solution content is continually monitored for its “Helpfulness” based on visitor input. If site visitors collectively indicate that a solution does not prove helpful to them, it is modified or eliminated.

WildlifeHelp.org objectives

  • Reduce calls and emails coming in to state agencies regarding how to solve wildlife conflicts.
  • Provide a ready, reliable source for wildlife agency staff to refer people who contact them regarding wildlife conflicts.
  • Get people to solutions they can use (whether do-it-yourself or professional help) as quickly as possible no matter what device they are using (Siri, Alexa, smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop, etc.).
  • Provide sound, consistent and legal advice while minimizing the time needed for individual agencies to create and manage their own content.
  • Assist state agencies with managing nuisance wildlife control operator information and credentials.